Canada - 1979-1989 - Elizabeth II - Small Bust Dime

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1979-1989 - Elizabeth II - Small Bust Dime
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Canada - 1979-1989 - Elizabeth II - Small Bust Dime coin, you can find it here at Obscure Finds.

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The portrait in right profile of Elizabeth II is surrounded with the inscription "ELIZABETH II D • G • REGINA" (Elizabeth II, Queen by the grace of God) Lettering: ELIZABETH II D·G·REGINA

Obverse Designer:

Arnold Machin

Reverse Design:

The Bluenose under sail, a Canadian schooner is surrounded with the facial value and the inscription "CANADA" Lettering: CANADA YEAR H 10 CENTS

Reverse Designer:

Emanuel Hahn

1979-1989 - Elizabeth II - Small Bust Dime

In Canada, a dime is a coin worth ten cents. It is the smallest (in physical size) of the currently issued Canadian coins. According to the Royal Canadian Mint, the official national term of the coin is the 10 cent piece, but in practice, the term dime predominates in English-speaking Canada. It is nearly identical in size to the American dime, but unlike its counterpart, the Canadian dime is magnetic due to a distinct metal composition: from 1968 to 1999 it was composed entirely of nickel, and since 2000 it has had a high steel content.

Currently the dime has, as with all Canadian coins, a portrait of Her Majesty the Queen on the obverse. The reverse contains a representation of the Bluenose, a famous Canadian schooner. The artist, Emmanuel Hahn, used three ships including the Bluenose as his models, so the ship design is actually a composite. The coin is produced by the Royal Canadian Mint at its facility in Winnipeg.

The word "dime" comes from the French word "dîme", meaning "tithe" or "tenth part", from the Latin decima [pars].

Artist Emanuel Hahn developed his design for the 10-cent coin from photos of the famous Bluenose schooner. It is meant to symbolize both the magnitude of the fishing industry in Canada and the maritime skills of Canadians. The Bluenose was not only a racing schooner, but also one of the great fishing vessels that helped build the reputation of the Grand Banks fishery. The design was first issued in 1937.